RUGBY JUBILEE

Evening Post, Issue 86, 11 April 1936, Page 14

RUGBY JUBILEE

THE PETOXE CLUB

VISITORS • WELCOMED

Great interest is being taken in Petone in the fiftieth year celebrations of the Petone Rugby Football Club.. A commencement was made this morning with the functions, when a welcome was given to visitors on the Petone Recreation Ground. The pavilion was decorated with flags, and a large sign was put up giving details of the jubilee. A large crowd assembled. In the pavilion were seated many of the visitors and "old-timers."

The chairman of the .-jubilee committee, Mr. C. P. Brockelbank apologised for the absence of the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash). It gave him great pleasure to welcome everyone, he said, especially those who had come from a distance. It was. an event indeed for the old players to come back and renew old friendships and acquaintances, and see the ground on which many of their matches had been played. It was pleasing to see present many of those who were still in the game and upholding the honour of the club. The club was in safe hands, he said.

The Mayor of Petone (Mr. A. Scholefleld) stated that he was very pleased to welcome the visitors to Petone. Those who had come from other districts would see a great improvement in Petone, and if they came again at a later date they would see still further improvements. The renewing of old acquaintances was a great factor in one's life. The citizens of Petone took it as a great compliment that there should be so many visitors at the present time. Petone had had a great number of champions, but none more noteworthy than those provided by the Petone Rugby Club. The town had been well advertised by its players, and to a great extent had been "put on the map"' by their activities. The young players had a great heritage to live up to, and he hoped they would be sports in the truest sense. Sport in the main produced great toleration, and in life one should try and see the point of view of others. The club had produced citizens of whom they were proud in Petone.

It gave him great pleasure to see so many present, said the president of the club, Mr. J. R. Robertson. The jubilee committee had gone to no end of trouble to make the functions a success. Mr. Brockelbank had done a lion's share of the work. The heaviest work had fallen on the secretary, Mr. J. L. Price. The functions would not have been possible had it not been for the efforts of the ladies' committee. There were present that day five of the foundation members of the clubMessrs. J. Abrahall, James Battersby, George Lomas, H. Wild, and H. G. Brooks—the last-named being the captain of the first team that won a championship for the Petone Club. Also present was Mr. Walter Pringle, the first Wellington, North Island, and New Zealand representative from the club. Mr. J. Milne, another of the first representatives, was also present. Other prominent ex-players in the grandstand ware "Bumper" Wright and Jim Ryan. As' each player was introduced he was given a hearty round of applause. Mr. Robertson read an apology for non-attendance from Mr. A. C. Kitto. The function concluded with cheers for the club.